2_Pittsburgh Steelers1

Denver Broncos Gameday HQ

AFC NORTH
STEELERS
2014 STRENGTHS:
• Veteran quarterback, strong leadership in
defensive backfield, consistent special teams
Steelers Offense
JUSTIN K. ALLER/GETTY IMAGES SPORT
The Steelers won six of their last eight games to turn a slow
start into an 8-8 finish. During the final eight games, the offense
finally began to click with nearly 27 points per game. When
the Steelers were operating the no-huddle offense, they seemed
to be at their best under quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. He
proved to be very durable last season and guided the offense
quite effectively in the second half of the season. Losing the likes
of Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery at wide receiver
won’t be easy. But there are enough pieces in place for the
Steelers to be successful. Young wide receivers Lance Moore
and Markus Wheaton will get every chance to succeed. If they
can understand all the wrinkles involved with the no-huddle
offense, the Steelers could wind up being a surprise team this
season. Running the football will be crucial to the entire offense
being in sync. The Steelers almost certainly will improve on
the 86.4 rushing yards per game they managed last season.
Le’Veon Bell, LeGarrette Blount and third-round draft pick Dri
2014 WEAKNESSES:
• Holes on offensive line, questionable depth at
linebacker, weak pass rush and rush defense
PITTSBURGH
Archer should be a major upgrade over
last season. Consistent offensive line play
will be vital for the running game and
no-huddle offense to work. Bell is the key
at running back as he compiled 1,259 yards
from scrimmage, the top numbers by a
rookie in a Steelers uniform since Franco
Harris in 1972. Pretty impressive company.
Offensive coordinator Todd Haley will be
searching for ways to produce a balanced
offense, and this year, there are more than
enough options. If Roethlisberger can stay
on the field like he did last season, the
Steelers could very easily be back in the
playoffs in 2014. If Roethlisberger goes
down, it will put that much more pressure
on the running backs and wide receivers.
Offensive
Player to Watch
Breaking a franchise record set by a
legend such as Harris is amazing. Even more amazing is this:
Bell has so much room to improve. He even missed the first
three weeks last season with an injured foot and came back to
post solid numbers. The Steelers finished tied for 27th in yards
rushing last season and Blount likely will get plenty of snaps as
well. Bell’s ability to run between the tackles, break plays outside
and catch passes out of the backfield makes him dangerous.
That type of versatility is a perfect fit in the Steelers’ offense.
Keeping Bell fresh, however, is just as important, so having a pair
of strong running backs will be a nice problem for Haley. Bell
showed what he could do last season. Doing it now when teams
are gearing up for him will be a tougher task.
Steelers Defense
In past years, the Steelers were among the best teams in the
league in terms of rushing the quarterback. That wasn’t the case
last season. The Steelers compiled only 34 sacks, their worst
total since 1990. Plain and simple, the Steelers must be able to
Le’Veon Bell